Gate-latch



(No'ModeL) 4 G. E. CHANDLER.

GATE LATCH. N0. 253,976. Patented Feb. 21,1882.

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. CHANDLER, OF JAGKSONBURG, INDIANA.

GAl'E-LATC'H.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,976, dated February 21 1882.

(Nb model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEO. E. CHANDLER, of Jacksonbnrg, county of Wayne, and State of Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in Devices for Fastening Gates, Doors, 850., of which the following is a specification.

The nature and object of my invention will appear from the description and specification hereinafter made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a door or gate prOVidcd with my improved devices, and two posts orjambs, to one of which-namel v,the hinge-post-itis both hinged and latched; Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same, taken as indicated by the broken line 2 2 in Fig. 1;

and Fig. 3, atop view of the same, the gate being partly open.

In the drawings, A indicates the door or gate; B, the posts orjambs; h, the hinges; c, a catch for the latch, fixed into and extending out from the hinge-post parallel with the door or gate when closed; l, a lever-latch extending horizontally neai ly the whole length of the gate from post to post, and pivoted nearly midway its length to the gate by pivot-bolt c, and provided at its back end with a notched catch to correspond with the notched catch fixed in the hinge-post,while the front end is provided with across-bar or handle, d, extending through a suit .ble aperture, f, in the door or gate, so that the lever may be operated from either side of the same, and just inside of the handle 61 that end of the lever is confined within a staple, r, which confines it against the gate or door and limits its vertical action, so that it may not be raised any higher or be depressed any lower than necessary, and thus the lever, by means of its central pivot-bolt, c, which is provided with a head to confine it against the gate, and the stapler, serves as a brace to secure and strengthen the gate against the pressure ofanimals from either side; and when the shoulder of the notch in the lever is down against the shoulder of the catch 0 the gate cannot be sprung from either within or without, nor can it be sagged down, because the lever, by its engagement with the catch 0, holds its rigidly so long as it remains closed. The catch is broad on theupper side, and the shoulder it runs diagonally across it, so that the outside of it is nearer the post than the inner side, the result of which form is that the shoulder on the latch l may be prevented from slipping outwardly and out of catch 0 when the gate is subjected to pressure from the inner side.

The latching of the gate atthe hinge end of it has an especial advantage over latching at the other cndnamely, that any force applied at the front or opening end to close it has the added force of leverage to enable it to overcome the friction between the beveled end of the lever and thatof the catch 0 when they come into contact in closing the gate, and so latching is made easy, and slamming by the force of the wind, when it happens to be left open, is entirely prevented.

In order to hold the notch end of the lever down in itsseat in the catch 0 with sufiicient force, a spring, 8, is seated upon the gate at the outer end to hold the outer end of the lever up and the inner end down, as shown; and in order to lock the lever down when the gate is closed a button, I), is pivoted to the latter, and when the button is turned, as shown by the broken lines in Fig. 1, the gate will be absolutelylockcd against animals. I

My improvement could be used with advantage upon window-blinds. I

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the latch-lever l, extending nearly the entire length of the gate, provided with a notch at therear end, and a cross-bar handle, d, at the front end, and pivoted to thegate by the bolt 6 nearly midway the length of both lever and gate,with the staple 1' and catch 0, adapted to strengthen the gate itself and to prevent sagging, substantially as described.

2. The catch 0, fixed in the hinge-post and extending toward the front end parallel with the gate when closed, and having a shoulder, a, running across the same diagonally, in combination with the lever 1, adapted to secure an easy and sure latching of the gate, and to prevent unlatching in any other manner than by raisingthe latch end of the lever, substantially as described.

GEORGE E. CHANDLER.

Witnesses:

W. F. MEDSKER, D. W. MAsoN, 

